Signatures of Selection for Age at First Lambing in Brazilian Local Adapted Sheep

Abstract Text: A total of 84 animals were genotyped on the Illumina OvineSNP50K BeadChip for identifying the genome-wide footprints of positive selection for the age at first lambing (AFL) of Santa Inês ewes. 90 SNP markers were significant by Fisher’s exact test. From these SNPs, eight satisfied the imposed constraint of 100kb distance between two consecutive markers. It was identified at least two genes on chromosome 25 as probable targets of selection. The NRG3 comprised between the markers OAR25_38884374.1 and s19656.1, and the PTPN20B comprised between s69834.1 and s26762.1. The results suggest that NRG3 plays an important role in AFL of Santa Inês. This gene can have potential for genomic selection and this is particularly useful for sheep industry. The genotyping more animals of the population and the estimative of additive effect of NRG3 gene for the trait AFL may validate this data.

Keywords:

Ovis aries

Locally adapted sheep

OvineSNP50K Beadchip